Friday 30-Nov-2012, 09:50 PM
(This post was last modified: Saturday 1-Dec-2012, 05:34 PM by Kev Vader.)
Hi all,
Over the past week or so it has been brought to my attention that there are rumours circulating through various other costuming groups regarding “the 501st trying to ban all forms of Military Cosplay from Supanova and other events on the Cosplay calendar in Australia.”
I have also received a couple of messages from people which make mention of this, and to be perfectly honest I am gobsmacked by the whole thing.
As the Commanding Officer of the 501st Redback Garrison here in Queensland, I have an excellent relationship with the other Command Staff around Australia, both in the 501st and the Rebel Legion. We are in frequent contact with each other and we are always discussing issues which affect our groups on a National basis. As such I can confidently state that the subject of somehow seeking to prevent any kind of costuming group from attending any kind of event in Australia has NEVER been raised.
How it could possibly be suggested that the 501st has ANY kind of say with how Supanova or Armageddon or Comic-Con conduct their own businesses is well, kind of mindboggling. It IS true that some of the major event organisers have in recent times granted the 501st & Rebel Legion a small amount of additional space to accommodate our sets and displays, but this is solely due to our commitment to spending our time at events supporting a number of charities. When in attendance at events, both the 501st & Rebel Legion are subject to exactly the same rules regarding standards, safety, weapons, and behaviour as every other Stall-holder and attendee who attends these events.
The members of the 501st and Rebel Legion, particularly here in Queensland also take part in many other costuming genres – it would therefore be clearly counter-productive for us to entertain such an action as restricting some types of costumes, when such an action would most certainly affect some of my members.
The numerous established costuming groups, both here in Queensland and around Australia, spend a lot of time and effort (and money!) making costumes and props and attending events and posing for pictures and having fun whilst we do it. And so long as we all do it in a safe, responsible and respectful way, then I would be quite opposed to any policy of arbitrarily excluding any groups from conventions or events.
Kevin Chamberlain
Redback Garrison CO
501st Legion
Over the past week or so it has been brought to my attention that there are rumours circulating through various other costuming groups regarding “the 501st trying to ban all forms of Military Cosplay from Supanova and other events on the Cosplay calendar in Australia.”
I have also received a couple of messages from people which make mention of this, and to be perfectly honest I am gobsmacked by the whole thing.
As the Commanding Officer of the 501st Redback Garrison here in Queensland, I have an excellent relationship with the other Command Staff around Australia, both in the 501st and the Rebel Legion. We are in frequent contact with each other and we are always discussing issues which affect our groups on a National basis. As such I can confidently state that the subject of somehow seeking to prevent any kind of costuming group from attending any kind of event in Australia has NEVER been raised.
How it could possibly be suggested that the 501st has ANY kind of say with how Supanova or Armageddon or Comic-Con conduct their own businesses is well, kind of mindboggling. It IS true that some of the major event organisers have in recent times granted the 501st & Rebel Legion a small amount of additional space to accommodate our sets and displays, but this is solely due to our commitment to spending our time at events supporting a number of charities. When in attendance at events, both the 501st & Rebel Legion are subject to exactly the same rules regarding standards, safety, weapons, and behaviour as every other Stall-holder and attendee who attends these events.
The members of the 501st and Rebel Legion, particularly here in Queensland also take part in many other costuming genres – it would therefore be clearly counter-productive for us to entertain such an action as restricting some types of costumes, when such an action would most certainly affect some of my members.
The numerous established costuming groups, both here in Queensland and around Australia, spend a lot of time and effort (and money!) making costumes and props and attending events and posing for pictures and having fun whilst we do it. And so long as we all do it in a safe, responsible and respectful way, then I would be quite opposed to any policy of arbitrarily excluding any groups from conventions or events.
Kevin Chamberlain
Redback Garrison CO
501st Legion
:SN2011v2:
:DW13:
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